Combined automatic telephone-exchange and fire-alarm system.



J. W. LATTIG & G. L. GOODRUM. COMBINED AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MARIN, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

To rmm/vA L IN G swlrulzs Patented May 21, 1912.

J. W. LATTIG & O. L. GOODRUM. COMBINED AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.17, 1906.

11,027,053 Patented May 21, 1912 3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

I Enoenl'on Wifwzboeo J. W. LATTIG & C. L. GOODRUM. COMBINED AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE EXCHANGE AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEM. APPLICATION TILED MAR. 17, 1906.

v 1,027,053, Patented May 21,1912. I

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

witnesses 2 7/ /24.

' net-27,053.

alarm circuits in connection with an AL ti JACOB 'W'. LATTIG AND CHARLES LANE GOL DHUM, 0F .ROCHES'J'ER, NEW YORK,

ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN AU'TOIl/[JFLTIC' NE'W YORK, A COR-FPORATION.

ztntnrnonn COMPANY, or nocnnsrnn,

COMBINED AUTOMATIC TELEZHONE-EXOHAIlGE AND FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Itatentcd May 21, 1912.

Application filed March 17, 1906. Serial No. 306,659.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, Jaoon W. .LATT'LG and Cnannns LANE Gooonun, citizens of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Automatic Telephone-Exchange and, Fire-Alarm Sys tem, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawin Our invention relates to combined telephone and tire alarm systems, and has for its object the arrangement of auxiliary tire automatic telephone exchange system, so that the fire alarm signals can only be operated under proper conditions, by duly authorized persons or with properly equipped send ing devices.

An. in'iportai'it feature of the llil'tlltifill is this: that it; requires the addition of some special apparatusto the ordinary excl anrgc equipment, but no change in that equipment itself as such. I v

In the prof :red embodiment ol our inrcu tion, which will be hereinafter tully lit scribed, we contemplate the use of that type of apparatus and circuits known in the art as the Sl'rowgcfi or automatic electric type. The tire alarm attachments are not limited to this type only, but for reasons which will sufficiently appear we consider that type the best for purposes of illustration. In this type of system each subscribers line terminates on what. is called a first selector switch, the control of which is exercised over the line absolutely. in ma king a call, the subscriber works this switch or machine to effect connection with one after another of a number of auxiliary switches arranged in groups eorrespomling to the thousands and hundreds digits oi the numbers to be selected. The hundreds or connector switches contain calling terminals for the lines, and tl'ien'iselves directly pick out the tens and units digits in obedience to their control. Assmuing, for example, that a subscriber desires to talk with another whose number is 4468, he works his first sclcctor to pick out an auxiliary or second selector switch corresponding); to 4,000, then obtaining control of that switch he works it in turn to pick out another auxiliary switch of the order of slot); then by means ofthis second auxiliary or connector switch he picks out the eighth pair of line-terminals in the sixth row, which belong to line No. (38. Systems of this character, operated in this way, are so well known in the art, and are in such common use, that they require no spm-ilic description in order tomake them understood by engineers; and we shall not, 'lhcrel'ore, either illustrate ondescribe at lengrtl any more than such portions of the general apparatus as pertain to our present invention.

(lur invention itself may be brielly stated as Follows: lCach station trom which fire or police signals are to be sent is provided with one or more special. sending devices, prid'l-rably in the term of make and break \t'llll'lrl somewhat similar to those used in lire alarm telegraphiug boxes. in the second selector switch banks at the central other are terminals of special trunks leading to registers adapted to record a call and thenumher ol' the calling line. '.l.hese registers are so arranged that a particular code-number must he sent .in order to reach them and operate them. l alse signals are thus prev nted. in sending a lire or police signal, the subscriber or other person has only to pull the box, that is, start; the signal wheels, when the proper impulses will first be sent to work through the lirst. selector switch oi the line onto the proper second selcctor, and so on to the register trunk; then anolhcr s t ol' impulses will be sent to work the registers in order to record the number of the line or the station from which the alarm comes.

A number ol' subsidiary advantages, and many details will appear from the description hcri-inallcr when read in connection a ith the ac -ompauying drawings forming a part. hercol.

in those dra \\"in ;1's l ig'urc l a diag'am :dmwing a. subscribirs station equipped with signal wheels, and a first selector switch at the central otlice coni'ieclcd to said subseribers station. Fig. 2 is a similar diagram showing a trunk extending from terminals in the banks of first selector switches to a second selector switch. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing aspecial the or police trunk extending from terminals in'a second selector switch to a special register switch, having but .a single motion, which we prefer to make a rotary motion.

Referring to the drawings, X is a subscribers station equipped with our special fire alarm device, by means of which the station can at all times be put into immediate communication with and send an alarm to fire headquarters. The station is connected to the central office by the line wires 12, and is provided with a telephone outfit and sender for manual use in calling other stations, shown diagrammatically, and

consisting of the. following elements: the sender S comprising a reciprocating plunger 8 having number teet-hcooperating with a spring .9 on one side, and a spacing or controlling tooth s cooperating with a spring a on the other side. This plunger is supposed to be pulled out any number of teeth desired, then released, so that in its return to normal position the teeth 3 will engage the spring 8 and ground it as times as there are teeth pulled out. After this number has been sent, the tooth s engages the spring a and grounds it once, thus sending what it called a rotary impulse for controlling the shifting devices of the switches. Both the springs s and s are normally disconnected from ground, so that their branches are dead open. The talking set comprises the usual transmitter T and receiver R, while for incoming signals we provide the usual ringer Q, and controlling both is the switch hookll. The system is common battery, so far as it relates to the supply of current for talking and signaling purposes, and the talking circuit includes the induction coil I, whose secondary, when the switch hook is up, is connected as follows: l, 3, 4-, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 2. Included in this secondary circuit is the condenser C, which, when the hook is down, as shown, is also included in the ringing circuit, as follows: 2, 9, C, 8, 10, Q, and ground. The primary talking circuit derives current as follows: 1, 3, i, 11, 1.2, 13, 14, 'r, 15, 1e, 9, 2.

In addition to the foregoing parts we provide a ringer button Q, resistance r,

and two groups of contact springs h-h,

controlled by the switch hook. The functions of these are sulliciently plain from the diagram, and will be further referred to in the statement of operation.

So far, the apparatus at the sub-station is 1 merely that used for talking and for signaling to other subscribers. In addition to this we provide the special lire alarm apparatus shown at w, and comprising a pair of make and break wheels S, S", the former adapted .in its rotation to intermittently ground the number one side of line through the spring 8*, and the latter adapted in its rotation similarly to groumi he number two side of line in an intcrmithcnt fashion through the spring a". .ln order that when the tire many alarm wheels S S are operating, there shall be no interference from the subscribers sendeiywe provide the cut-off m-a; preferably worked by a cam on the shaft of the make and break wheels (see Fig. 1), in the manner well understood by those familiar with this art, and which we need not describe in detail. \Vhen these wheels are started, they send in their impulses in predetermined order, being what we may term code wheels in which an important feature of the invention is embodied. This consists in a certain arbitrary arrangement of numbers appropriated to the fire alarm connections, so that only by sending the proper numbers in the proper order can fire alarm headquarters be reached. This will also be further referred to in the statementof operation. At the central olliee the line wires terminate at contacts nn of a cutofi' relay N, which is normally deenergized, and which therefore normally connects the line wires to their extensions 17 and 18, which. terminate on the wipers 1S) and 20.

WVe shall not enter into detailed description of the general-system, or of the switch apparatus as such, since these do not form any essential features of our present invention. In fact, the present invention may be practised with Strowger switches, or with any other desired type of automatic apparatus, provided the same is intended to be operated by means of impulses sent in a predetermined sequence or order. Accord ing to the systems we have referred-to, we employ for ordinary interconnection between subscribers instruments switches known as A, B, C, D and G switches. The function of the A switch is to pick out an idle B switch when its line is calling. The function of the B switch is to select the first digit of the required number, and so on. The wipers 19 and 20, in Fig. 1, are carried on the spindle a of an A switch. They normally rest upon contacts 2l22 connected, respectively, to groundby wire 23, and to a magnet M through wire 24, and so to the main battery B. The magnet M is the cpntrolling magnet for the switch A, which starts the same and keeps it moving until an. idle trunk contact is found. This relay M controls the circuit of the motor magnet M of the switch, and when energized it closes the circuit of said motor magnet and the wiper 25, as follows: B, M, 26, 27, 28, m, 29, This wiper normally rests upon a ground contact 30, forming the terminal of a ground wire 31. When the relay M pulls up it looks itself through the branch wire 32, and the armatures m m, until an idle or ungro'unded contact is reached by the switch, when the magnets M-M will both lose current.

M is the release magnet, whose function is perfectly well understood by those skilled the position to which it turned. magnet M is energized at the close of :1

in the art. It controls a detent in the form of. a pawl engaging a corresponding ratchet. on the spindle a and holding the same in This communication whcn its circuit is completed by the deenergization ot the relay N,

.While the wiper 3 is on a contact 35 closed by the line relay M of a I) switch, as will be apparent when the circuits have been further traced. The wires 36 and 37 are, re spectively, theline and mate wires going to multiple terminals in that} or connected Switches. The wire 33 extends from the Wiper 39, which normally rests on the contact 40 connectml by wire ll to the cut-off relay N; and the ,wire 38 goes to the test t rminals of the (l switch, whereby when any other line is calling the station X the cut-otl' relay N can be controlled. It will be Observed that as soon as this A switch in Fig. 1 is started, the .wiper 42 passes on to the extensioncontact t3 torming the terminal for wire 41, and hence the cut-oil relay .N is connected through w1per;t2 so as to be controlled by the relay M, as long as the switch A is moving. in other words, the contacts H----IL are drawn in to disconnect the line wires l-2-t'rom the wipers '19 and 20, while the A switch is passing around to find an'idle trunk. By this means clicks are avoided in other lines and their trunks which are connected.

Referring to Fig. 2, we have here a B switch, whose spindle I) is turned step by step through the agency of the motor magnet M Vi e shunt this and some of the other magnets with condensers l,.'t'or the purpose of taking up the line discharge and so quickening the action. The spindle b carries wipers 47 and 48 from terminals of the talking circuits 49 and 50 of the switch. These wires are connected through the back contacts of a cut-off relay N to the wires 45 and 46 lending to terminals 21' and 22 in the A switch banks. When the A switch is turned to an idle trunk, the wiper 25 comes on a contact'25 connected by wire 51 to a contact 52 in the [3 switch bank, upon which normally rests the wipe J t, connected by wire around cut-otl' relay N and so to main battery B. The first result.- etl'ectiug a connection with the B switch shown, therefore, is to energize its cut-otl' relay, which pulls in the armatures u----n---w'-, connecting the wire 45 to the wire 56,. leading to relay M, and battery. The cut-otl' relay N of the A switch having become (leanergized, the intermittent grounding of line at the station X will energize the relay M correspondingly to-open and close the circuit 57 of the motor magnet; M, and so step the spindle 7) around to the desired contact. (We should state that our switches shown herein do not have any vertical motion, but

merely a. rotary motion.) The single ground on the mate side 2 of line which follows the setv owl impulses over the wires 1, prmluecs the cnergization of the doublewound relay M, through its windings m". This relay pulls up and by means of its armature m connects the test wiper 53 to the winding m ot said relay M through relay M and locks up relay M so long as wiper 5 tind's ground. \Vhen wiper 53 fails to had gromu relay .M." drops back and grounds wiper oil through relay M over the circuit which includes the circuit closer a relay M to ground. The energizing of the relay M also cuts oil the ground from the motor magnet and at the same time closes the circuit of magnet M, whose armature controls the escape of the ratchetwheels which etl'ect the retrograde movement of the usual selector switch which movement selects an idle trunk to the tire alarm and signal receiving apparatus as heretofore explained. The relwse magnet for this switch is marked M and is controlled by the relay. M" and M". That is to say, the line relay M can operate the release magnet M when the double vound magnet M is locked up, since the ground from armatures m is then on the wire The relay M* at. the same time controls ground back over wire 5!) and the contact 60, wiper 3t, and the release magnet M of the A switch. This clcaring-out ettect is only ])1'0(lll(0(.l when both sides of the line are grounded simultaneously, and this occurs when the subscriber finally hangs up at the 'end of a communication, ground being then put on through the branches 3 and t) and the set of springs h.

Assuming we have an exchange of not over ten thousand subscribers, the B switch is used to select thousands, and the operation we have so far traced is sutlicient to understand the. tire alarm invention per 30. Certain trunks are appropriated to the fire alarm service, say, for instance, trunks one thousand, or more required- The I) switch having come on the one thousand trunk, connection thereby established with the tire alarm circuits shown in 'l ig. 3. These comprise trunk wires (ll-69, leading from the bank terminals G5-G6 ot' the B switch to the special tire alarm trunk relays hl"--M.. These are controlling relays only. That is, they have no particular function in completing the talking circuit, but work signals. \Ve do not wish to limit ourselves by these to the exclusion of talking circuits, for it is obviously necessary to be able to talk to tire headquarters as well as to signal. This, however, involves no more than the ordinary operation of our systems, hence the present description has to do particularly with the inethod of registering the calls. Having got through the switcn to the trunk 6l62, successive grounds comingon the from the telephone central station to the tirehezulquarters. On the other hand, the relay M controls an auxiliary relay M, which in turn controls the trunk wire 70. At fire headquarters we provide a switch F with a spindle 7 having but one pair of wipers ff These wipers pass over contacts 7l-727374757677 and so on, the contacts 7678-79 and be ing connected to register magnets adapted to record the number of the stat-ion calling. The wiper f merely closes a local circuit 81 containing an alarnnbell 82, and a battery 13, this local circuit being maintained closed until the switch is restored. The switch F at fire headquarters is operated by means of a motor magnet M and is released by means of a magnet M. The former is included in the trunk 70, and the latter ina ground branch from the trunk 69.

The operation of our system may now be understood. Assuming a subscriber wishes to send a lire alarm, he pulls the box at taehed to his telephone. That is, winds up the mechanism and starts the wheels S C rotating in the direction of the arrow. The

first effect of this is to open the switch con tacts w'a; and the next is to ground the wire 2 at the spring .5 This closes the circuit of a controlling magnet M of the A switch, which thereupon starts that switch to rotating to lind an idle B switch. \Vhen the wipers 19 .20-25, etc., have come upon thctrunk of an idle B switch, the A switch stops, as heretofore stated, and the [3 switch is then ready to becontrolled, its cut-oll' relay l taking currentthrough the following circuit ll--N55 5t52-5t- 25r-- 25 29 m, and ground. It will be observed that while each switch is being operated its wipers a re cut 011. The next thing thathap pens is the grounding of the number one side of line by the wheel S, which turns the. li switch spindle one step to a one thousand trunk,-61---6Z. The B switch then becomes quiescent, owing to a succeeding impulse from the number two side of line, and succeeding impulses due to the wheel S ta ting througlnvires l, 17--l5 49- and (S1 to the relay M, which we have called a special tire alarm trunk relay. As yet this has done nothing. From this point onward, the relay M does the Work of stepping, and the relay M does the work of controllin That is to say, the wheel S having automatically selected the special fire alarm trunks, it requires a certain combination of impulses coming alternately over the two sides of the line to the fire alarm trunk relays M and M to set the register step by step at lire headquarters, and at each step when it is properly set, to send the necessary impulse to operate the register. This combination makes it absolutely impossible for any one to send in false signals. lVithout it mischievous persons would undoubtedly annoy the fire d partment without the slightest possibility of discovery, inasmuch as they could not be identified by the number sent. \Vith the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, after the connection is made through to the switch 1 it takes two impulses over the mate or number two side of line from the wheel S to reach the first register magnet 7. Such impulses aliect the relay M and by its means the relay M and by its means through the trunk wire '70 the step ping magnet M by which the spindle is set around two steps. This brings the wiper f on the contact 75. lVith the contact so placed, .it' the station calling contains five digits, an impulse or impulses must come over humbcr one side of line from the wheel '3', in order to set the first register Z to the desired digit. One more impulse over the number two side of line will set the switch around to the next register magnet Z, and then must come l'urthcr impulses over the number one side of line to work that mag net. Then it takes two more impulses to reach the next register magnet, and if a false signal is sent with only one impulse at. this point, the succeeding impulse over the number one side, .t line will merely closethe following release circuit: l -Gl'- f77 -t3$l-----.\l. ,llcnce the alarm would not be given. l'l '.-l1o\\c\'c1'. the. necessary double impulse come. in on the magnet. M, the following impulses over the number one side ol line will pa s through-wiper f to the contact TH and the magnet register We have shown the succeeding register magnets on succeeding contacts, but ob \iously we may intrtalucc as many code changes in these contacts as we please. The signal ha ring thusbeensent, whenthe wheels run down the contacts .u-.c'- are closed atthe station X, and atv lire haulquartcrs a telephone. may be bridged across the wires (lb-(r3 in any well known or suitable manner, so that conversation can then be carried on between the calling subscriber and the lire chief or his subortlinates. At the close of the conversation, when the subscriber hangs up, he monwntarily grounds both sides of his line. This produces 1nomen t'arily impulses through both relays M and N in Fig. 3, and when'both pull up, both auxiliary relays M M" will pull up, closing the release circuit as "follows: li----Sl. co -M". and ground. .\t the same time the two relays M -M close a back release circuit as follows: l ---5tt--8T---88 (then into l ig. 2), oil--89"- nF- ll, and ground. M in turn closes thecireuit 90 ot the remamas lease magnet M" of the B switch, and also grounds the back release wire 51') connected by way of (BO-{then into .l ig. 1}, lease magnet M oi." the A switch, and to battery, by way oil? 33. All the apparatus is thus restored, and ready 'for another call.

e are aware that many details of our invention may be changed, and many modifications resorted to without altering the underlying principles or the spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications we claim as our own, and as within the scope and purview of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Al-b tors Patent, is:-

1. In a combined telephone and special service system, subscribers lines, automatic switches adapted to be controlled by said lines to effect interconnection therebetween, signal apparatus associated with said switches and special calling devices at one or more subscribers stations for ctl'ecting commotion through the automatic switches with said signal apparatus and to automatically operate said signal. apparatus when the connection therewith is established,

111 a combined telephone and special service system, a plurality of subscribers lines, automatic switching devices for interconnecting the same, signal apparatus associated with th automatic switching devices, and special means associated with one or more of said subscribers lines for sending a series oi. pro-arranged impulses adapted to ogerate the switchii'ig devices, and by means thereof to connect with and actuate the said signal apparatus.

In a combined telephone and spccial service system, a. plurality-oi subscrilan's lines, automatic s\\'it '-hing devices conlrolluble over the lines for cil'ccting inter-conuection between. the said lincs, a special nal amiaratus conncctcd with snidswiich, and

- special signal sending incans associated with one or more subscribers lines and comprising nuarhanical circuit changers, ium'ablc to produce the prcdcti-rrinincll signal necessary to select a slam] apparatus at central and operate the same.

t. In a combined telephone and :pcciul service system, comprising a plurality ol sulmci'ilicrs luic autoinalic switches cnnirollablc thercovcr to cll'cct iulcr-ccnncction thcrcbctw on, a. special receiving upqniruiir-i associated with. the switches and r-Ipcciul sending devices associated with one or more of the subsin'ibers lines, :ula ited to send only the code number necessary to select the receiving apparatus and the numlan-or code indication of its line for record by the rcceiv ing apparatus.

5. In a combined telephone and special service system, subscribers lines and automatic telephone exchange apparatus for mterconnceting the same, together with spccial signal receiving means accessible only through the telephone exchange apparatus, and signal wheels associated with one or more of the subsra-ibers lines, having teeth arranged to send code numbers over the lines to select the special receiving means, and to record thereon the line numbers calling.

(3. in a combined telephone and special service system, subscribers lines, automatic switches for inter-connecting the same, special signal receiving means associated with saidswitches, and special sending devices at one or more of the subscribers lines, said special sending devices being adapted to antomatically scnd impulses over opposite sides of the lines in different combinations, to automatically connect with the special recciving means and identify the calling line in said receiving means.

7. in a combined teleplmne and special service system, and in combination with antonuitic exchange apparatus and subscribers lines connccted thereto, signal devices associated with one or more of the subscribers lines, said signal devices having engaging projcclions dillorently spaced and adapted to automatically send dill'crently c'ombiucd impulses over opposite sides of the line, and a receiving apparatus connected with said exchange apparatus, adapted to receive and record the identifying numbers or impulses of said devices.

S. In a combined telephone and special scrvicc system, subscribers lines, automatic exchange apparatus, special signal receiving a )paratus, accessible only through the tele-' phone exchange apparatus, and signal dcvices associated with one or more of the subscribers lines, said signal devices having cugaging devices necessary to connect said line with the special signal receiving apparatus and also to send special impulses over opposite sides of the line to cause said special receiving apparatus 'to operate and identify the calling lino.

S). In a combined telephone and special service system, in combination with autonmlic exchange apparatus and subscribers lincu con rec-ted thereto, a receiving apparatus connected with said exchange apparatus, :rhiplcd io rccciw and record signals from one or more of said subscribers lines, and a iignal apparatus cmluulying circuit breaker whccls adapted to operate successively on opposite side; of the line to produce predebsrniincd signali-i and operate said signaling rcrciving apparatus in connection therewith as established.

it). in a combined telephone and special service system, subscribers lincs, automatic switches adaptcil to be controlled by sald lines, to ell'cct intcr-conucetiontherebetwecp, signal apparatus associated with said switches, and means at one or more subscribers stations for effecting connection through In testimony whereof We flfilX our signaautomatic switches with said signal appatures in nresence of two Witnesses.

ratus, said means including circuit breaking JACOB Wm LATTIG.

wheels adapted automatically to send suc- CHARLES LANE GOODRUM. cessive impulses over opposite sides of the Witnesses:

line to operate said receiving apparatus and G. L. MEADE,

identify the calling line. HORATIO STRAUS. 

